Testing the Spirits

1aBeloved°, do not believe° every°bspirit°, but test° the spirits° to see whether° they are from God°, because°cmany° false° prophets° have gone° out into the world°.
2 By this° you know° the Spirit° of God°: aevery° spirit° that bconfesses° that cJesus° Christ° has come° in the flesh° is from God°;
3 and every° spirit° that adoes not confess° Jesus° is not from God°; this° is the [spirit] of the bantichrist°, of which° you have heard° that it is coming°, and cnow° it is already° in the world°.
4 You are from God°, alittle° children°, and bhave overcome° them; because°cgreater° is He who is in you than°dhe who is in the world°.
5aThey are from the world°; therefore°° they speak° [as] from the world°, and the world° listens° to them.
6aWe are from God°; bhe who knows° God° listens° to us; che who° is not from God° does not listen° to us. By this° we know°dthe spirit° of truth° and ethe spirit° of error°.

God Is Love

7 ¶ aBeloved°, let us blove° one° another°, for love° is from God°; and ceveryone° who loves° is Idborn° of God° and eknows° God°.
8 The one who does not love° does not know° God°, for aGod° is love°.
9 By this° the love° of God° was manifested°Iain us, that bGod° has sent° His IIonly° begotten° Son° into the world° so° that we might live° through° Him.
10 In this° is love°, anot that we loved° God°, but that bHe loved° us and sent° His Son° [to be] cthe propitiation° for our sins°.
11aBeloved°, if° God° so° loved° us, bwe also° ought° to love° one° another°.
12aNo° one° has seen° God° at any° time°; if° we love° one° another°, God° abides° in us, and His blove° is perfected° in us.
13aBy this° we know° that we abide° in Him and He in us, because° He has given° us of His Spirit°.
14 We have seen° and atestify° that the Father° has bsent° the Son° [to be] the Savior° of the world°.

15 ¶ aWhoever°° confesses° that bJesus° is the Son° of God°, God°cabides° in him, and he in God°.
16aWe have come° to know° and have believed° the love° which° God° has°Ibfor us. cGod° is love°, and the one who dabides° in love° abides° in God°, and God° abides° in him.
17 By this°, alove° is perfected° with us, so that we may have°bconfidence° in cthe day° of judgment°; because°das He is, so also° are we in this° world°.
18 There is no° fear° in love°; but aperfect° love° casts° out fear°, because° fear°Iinvolves° punishment°, and the one who fears° is not bperfected° in love°.
19aWe love°, because° He first° loved° us.
20aIf° someone° says°, “I love° God°,” and bhates° his brother°, he is a cliar°; for dthe one who does not love° his brother° whom° he has seen°, ecannot°° love° God° whom° he has not seen°.
21 And athis° commandment° we have° from Him, that the one who loves° God°bshould love° his brother° also°.